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July - December 2013
DIVISION MEETS TO DISCUSS DEEP SEA MINERALS
The 3rd meeting of the Secretariat of
the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Applied
Geoscience and Technology Division
(SOPAC), whose running theme was
‘Opportunities
and
challenges
of
developing natural resources in large ocean
states’ was held in the month of October
2013 at the Cook Islands. This meeting was
held in conjunction with the 2013 Circum-
Pacific Council (CPC) meeting, along with
2013 STAR* (Science, Technology and
Resources Network) Session.
Professor Michael Petterson, SOPAC
Division Director, expressed his gratitude
to the Cook Islands Government for
hosting the meetings. He further added his
anticipation in attending his first divisional
meeting and being able to discuss one
of the key aspects of development for
the Pacific: sustainability and inclusivity in
developing mineral resources. Professor
Petterson further mentioned that the
advent of Deep Sea Minerals could bring
many changes to the Pacific of which there
is a need for preparation and information.
Petterson also presented his vision of the
direction he would like to steer SOPAC
towards, in his current tenure as the
Division Director. Petterson acknowledged
the STAR session, particularly its founder,
Professor John Collen who chaired this
meeting for the last time.
The main theme of the STAR Conference
was ‘Large ocean states: challenges,
opportunities and risks in developing non-
living marine and on-land natural resources’.
Papers on renewable energy and deep sea
minerals were also presented.
Circum-Pacific Council is an association
of earth scientists, engineers, and
oceanographers in the Pacific region, while
STAR was founded in 1985 to facilitate the
continuing provision of advice to SOPAC by
the international geoscience community.
Documents and outcomes of this meet are
available at the SOPAC website.
Strengthening the Water Security of Vulnerable
Island States
Anyone with even a passing interest in
the Pacific will be aware of the region’s
acute vulnerability to drought, graphically
demonstrated by recent events in the Cook
Islands, Kiribati, Tokelau, Tuvalu and the
Republic of the Marshall Islands.
In recognition of this vulnerability and its
impact on economic development, the
Prime Minister of New Zealand chose the
44th Pacific Forum Leaders meeting in
Majuro to announce a new initiative to help
bolster the water security of these island
states.
The NZD $5 million Project, ‘Strengthening
the Water Security of Vulnerable Island
States’, will be implemented in these
five countries with the support of the
Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)
over a 5-year period from mid-2014. While
still in the consultation and design phase, it
is envisaged that the project will implement
a suite of practical measures designed to
support local authorities and communities
to build the skills, systems and basic
infrastructure to better anticipate, respond
to, and withstand drought.
Whilemorecanbedone to improve thewater
storage capacity of island communities,
inadequate water infrastructure is not
always the major barrier to achieving
water security. Equally relevant can be the
Volunteers delivering emergency drinking water supplies to the island of
Nukulaelae during the 2011 Tuvalu drought
Meeting participants
capacity to effectively and efficiently utilise
and maintain current systems in a way that
ensures safe and adequate water supplies
throughout all expected conditions.
The initiative will, therefore support
participating countries to collaborate
on the design and demonstration of a
range of management tools tailored to
address the specific water security needs
of vulnerable communities.These could
include measures such as: adequate
installation, maintenance and connection
of guttering; appropriate tank management
and maintenance; water- use efficiency and
demand management, effective monitoring
and understanding of water reserves
and climate conditions; anticipation and
preparedness for extreme events, such
as drought and natural disaster; the safe
collection storage, transport and handling
of drinking water; and the sustainable use
of groundwater reserves.
To be successful, the project will need
to collaborate closely with existing and
emerging efforts, and the project design
phase will need to fully harness the
expertise and experience of country and
regional partners.